Ken Warby

Ken Warby (9 May 1939 – 20 February 2023) was an Australian motorboat racer, who at his death held the water speed record of , set on Blowering Dam on 8 October 1978.

In doing so, he became the first and only person to exceed 300 mph (482.8 km/h) on water and survive. Donald Campbell died on his attempt after his hydroplane crashed at over 320 mph (515 km/h) on his return run in his 1967 record attempt.

Later boats and retirement By 2003, Warby had designed and built another boat, the Aussie Spirit, with which he planned to increase his own record. Of similar dimensions to Spirit of Australia, it was also powered by a Westinghouse J34 jet engine. The rudder alone on this new boat cost more than the $10,000 all-up cost of the original Spirit. Again, Warby designed, built, self-financed and piloted his own boat. Rule changes meant that a record attempt was never made with it.

Warby retired from record-breaking attempts in 2007. Prior to his death, Ken had been working with his son David on a new boat to break the record. David Warby continues the attempt with the crew that he and his father both used.

Personal life and death Warby was born in Newcastle, NSW and lived in Australia before moving to Cincinnati, Ohio from 1983 where he died on 20 February 2023 aged 83.